Thresher shark
Alopias pelagicus
Sighting evidence at Manta Passage, Halmahera
Photo: Jenvit Seriburi · © all rights reserved
The pelagic thresher is recognisable by its enormously elongated upper tail lobe, which it uses to stun schooling fish with a precise, whip-like strike. At certain Indo-Pacific passages including Halmahera, threshers are observed at cleaning stations in the early morning, hovering near the wall top while labrids remove parasites. Sightings at Manta Passage peak between December and March when cooler water from upwellings concentrates prey at depth. Classified as Vulnerable globally due to longline bycatch.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Thresher shark is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.